Broncos put Bo Nix in two-minute drill for the first time

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For Bo Nix — or any of the Denver Broncos quarterbacks — Sean Payton hopes there will come a time when he can soar in the two-minute drill largely on his own, with the only support from the sideline coming in the form of an incoming play-call or Payton standing juxtaposed to an official, poised to call timeout.

“Our league has seen a number of great quarterbacks, and we’ve always debated it, but those guys at some point will call the two-minute [offense],” Payton said. “Then occasionally you can beep in and say, ‘Heads up for a shot here.’ You’re kind of the co-pilot if you will.”

But the time for that was not Friday. It was the first time the Broncos and their overhauled quarterback room have run the two-minute drill during training camp. Payton gave them a situation with 1:48 remaining in the first half, two timeouts, the ball at their own 25-yard line and a 6-point deficit.

The goal? Get into scoring range. And from the sideline, there was plenty of help.

“Early on with these guys, we’re in their ear and we’re giving them the play,” Payton said. “I think you build that as you get more comfortable with it.”

Payton used the aforementioned scenario Friday because it was “neutral” between the offense and defense. Nix kept the drive alive with a third-down completion to Greg Dulcich, and later hit Lil’Jordan Humphrey on a 13-yard pass to move the offense into field-goal range. But from there, the offense stalled, exacerbated by a 10-yard penalty. Nix’s final chance to give the drive the best possible outcome ended when his deep attempt to Courtland Sutton for what would have been a 31-yard touchdown was caught out of bounds. The No. 1 offense ended up settling for what would have been a field-goal attempt in a game scenario.

It’s not perfect, but it was a solid and composed start.

For Bo Nix, it was about resilience.

Although the practice ended with a glimmer, Nix’s morning didn’t begin well. After a team period that emphasized the run — Nix’s only attempt was a completed bubble screen to wide receiver Michael Bandy — Nix struggled during the seven-on-seven period. Some of it was not of his own doing; tight end Lucas Krull dropped a pass that hit him squarely. Another attempt was nearly intercepted by Jonas Griffith; Sutton, the intended receiver, slipped during the route, but the pass looked like it might have been behind him, anyway. Nix hit Greg Dulcich for his only completion of the period.

But his other repetition saw a scramble — which, in the eyes of many coaches, is a no-no in seven-on-seven. But Payton felt otherwise — just as he did regarding a scramble in the team period earlier this week.

“I’m good with it. I want them to practice every rep just like it was a game,” the coach said. “Instinctually, I don’t want to force the throw. Now we get to the start of the season, and we have a scout team and let’s say we’re in 7-on-7. We might tell the quarterback, ‘Hey, get rid of it here,’ but I want them to treat it just like it was a game rep.”

To many coaches, a quarterback scrambling in seven-on-seven drills during practice is not OK.

But it's alright by Sean Payton.

"Listen, I'm good with it. I want them to practice every rep just like it was a game. And so, instinctually, I don't want to force a throw," he says. pic.twitter.com/AoCFVW7qMi

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 2, 2024

“… Yes, we just grade the decision,” Payton continued. “Let’s say that one [of the reads] in the progression was open, and he didn’t see it, and then he flushed and then he kept it. Rewinding it, I might say, ‘What didn’t you like? What spooked you from your first read?'”

Jarrett Stidham ended the day in the two-minute period by driving the No. 2 offense into field-goal position, with much of the momentum supplied by a 31-yard pass to Brandon Johnson near the right sideline. Stidham looked composed during the drive, and he made a wise decision to scramble on third-and-10 from the defense’s 39-yard line, gaining 9 yards to move the offense into field-goal range.

Stidham was effective in the seven-on-seven period with the second team, hitting 3 of his 4 attempts — including a 26-yard connection to Sutton near the sideline.

Zach Wilson returned to the No. 3 offense Friday after two days with the second unit, which meant he didn’t get a crack during the two-minute drill period.

Wilson did attempt to push the ball downfield during the third-down team period, but an attempt to Marvin Mims Jr. in double coverage was uncatchable — which likely prevented NFL officials on hand from throwing a flag for pass interference.

Wilson also took a scramble during seven-on-seven work, but completed three other passes in the four snaps in that period. He He also completed 3 straight passes in the subsequent team periods before that deep incompletion.